Nairobi, May 4 -- Cross-border trade between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda appears to defy their open conflict, which has lately shown signs of escalating.

Residents on both sides of the border have refused to be tied down by the political tensions, trading freely despite some border restrictions.

Congolese government spokesman Patrick Muyaya said the border between Goma in the DRC and Rubavu district in Rwanda is one of the busiest in Africa for commercial traffic.

According to the World Bank, "Petite Barriere is the busiest pedestrian crossing point in the Great Lakes region, with more than 50,000 people crossing every day."

When the crisis between the DRC and Rwanda came to a head in 2022, the Congolese authorities di...